The Darjeeling Limited

Written and directed by Wes Anderson and released October 26, 2007, The Darjeeling Limited is a film set in India that chronicles three American brothers’ journey to see their convent dwelling mother after the death of their father. The title of the film refers to a fictional (albeit realistic depiction of) train in India. The film stars Owen Wilson, Adrien Brody, and Jason Schwartzman as the three brothers. Wilson and Schwartzman are longtime friends of Anderson and have worked on several other Anderson-directed films such as The Life Aquatic, The Royal Tenenbaums, and Fantastic Mr. Fox. Bill Murray, also an Anderson favorite, appears in a cameo role as a traveling businessman, and Anjelica Huston serves the role of the brothers’ mother. Natalie Portman and Jason Schwartzman also appear in a short film, Hotel Chevalier, which acts as a prologue to Darjeeling.

Darjeeling is, like most films Anderson writes and directs, a stylistic representation of quirky characters on a spiritual quest. The three brothers have not seen each other in a year, since their father’s funeral. The oldest brother Francis (played by Wilson), arrives on the scene with a wrapped head and busted nose, attire that he adorns throughout film, the result of an apparent motorcycle accident (we learn later that it is a result of a suicide attempt). Francis has planned the trip but does not tell his brothers the real reason for it until late in the film – to see their mother. He disguises the trip as a spiritual quest for the three of them to reconnect. Francis is an eccentric character who employs an assistant, Brendan, to help him keep a rigorous itinerary he has planned.

Brody’s character, Peter, claims to have been the late father’s favorite son. He shows this by adorning several of his father’s possessions, a habit Francis is disgusted by. Peter’s wife, back in the States, is expecting a baby soon, a fact that Peter hides from Francis initially – secrecy is a theme running throughout the film. He seems to be the most serious of the three, constantly worried about his wife divorcing him. He, like the others, however, also reveals his strange side, when he purchases a live cobra at a local market, which he keeps in a box. Jack, the youngest (played by Schwartzman), obsessively checks his girlfriend’s answering machine at every stop the train makes – meanwhile, he is having an affair with one of the female train workers. He has also written a “fictional” short story, although his brothers point out that it seems to be based on his own life, an observation he denies.

I have identified three elements of this film which I think make it entertaining to me. All of these elements are present in all of Anderson’s films, a fact I’m sure contributes to my fondness of his work. The first is Darjeeling’s structure, what I would call melodramatic adventure. I am not into action films; I appreciate the logistics of car chases and 3D animation, but I am much more interested in human nature and interaction. In film, these elements are represented by character development and dialogue. The subtle dry humor employed by Anderson (embodied by Wilson’s acting style) is what amuses me.

Second, I appreciate and enjoy Anderson’s attention to human uniqueness and imperfection. Many films employ the archetypal characters, which, in many cases, work fine for what the film or show is doing. The Office, for example, uses archetypal characters to perfectly suit its purpose. It wants its viewers to relate to everyday working American life, which most people can. Darjeeling’s characters are very unique, almost seemingly randomly construed – very eclectic and defined by their flaws. I am very eccentric, eclectic, and flawed as well, and can relate to three brothers on a train in India more than I can with Jim’s character in The Office.

And lastly, I love films that depict different cultures – I think that is why Darjeeling is my favorite Anderson film. The characters’ interactions with their geographic location, a sense of movement and most importantly intercultural experiences make Darjeeling an “adventure” to me.

In the end, the brothers do arrive and visit their mother at a remote hilltop abbey, only for them to wake up one morning to discover she has “run away” again. On their way home, they leave their luggage on the platform, symbolizing a release of proverbial baggage each has been carrying. Peter and Jack also allow Francis to hold their passports for them, a Francis-self-appointed job that they did not appreciate throughout the film. The conclusion to Darjeeling is a representation of, like Anderson’s characters, the imperfections of life, change, and sometimes redemption.

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